I love an epiphany. Actually I love the word EPIPHANY! Rather catchy I think. I had myself an epiphany a few days ago. Friday night to be exact. And it happened in the most unusual of places - Harvey Norman. For those of you outside the realm of Australia or anywhere else this big chain store has planted itself, then it is literally a big chain store selling all variety of goods for one's home. From batteries to fridges, lounges to cameras. They've got the lot. And no, this is not a sponsored post - although, hey, I wouldn't knock it back!
So the family and I toddled in there, the aim being to find a new fridge and TV for the new home. Which, if you haven't been following, you can catch up HERE and HERE. Our new kitchen has a much smaller fridge cavity, which means our humungous, kick ass, LEAKING fridge cannot come with us. Sad, I know. Anyhow, found the fridge no worries - my new best friend, Vonnie, was very helpful in giving me an even cheaper price than the already reduced one plastered on the front of said appliance, so I was a happy camper. Next stop - TV's.
This is where it gets tricky. Remember only a few years ago when you went to buy a flat screen TV and it was a million dollars???? Well, times have changed my friends. You can now get yourself a ginormous extension of your husband's penis plasma/LCD for under $1000. The one that was on special was $696. Great brand, great quality....blah blah blah. Down the back of the entertainment section was the "little" 31" flat screens. For half the price. Given that this TV was going to be put in the kid's playroom, and its only purpose was going to be for them to play video games and watch "normal TV" - not foxtel - I was quite happy with the smaller version. My husband - not so much.
To cut a not so long story short - he left the decision up to me. Approximately two minutes later I told Vonnie that it actually made me feel sick to think that we would have THREE big screen televisions in our house! THREE. I thought it was rather extravagant, and really did not feel it necessary......so directed her to the 31" at the rear. When I rallied the kids to head in that direction, Lochie saw what I was getting and his reaction was:
"Is that all we're getting? That little TV? What about when we play split screen?"
----------crickets-----------
I turned to Vonnie and said "Well that just confirms my decision."
I was actually quite horrified to think my kids just "expected" we would get a whopper with the lot. All the bells and whistles. I don't want my kids to think they need the biggest and best of everything in life to lead a happy one.
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| WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE IS TRACKED DOWN MY OLD PLAYROOM TV AND PRESENTED IT TO THEM WITH A GOLD RIBBON! SHAME IT WOULDN'T HAVE BLOODY WORKED ANYMORE! |
I relayed my epiphany via Facebook and was further miffed to hear people's opinions..... All saying I should have got the bigger one!
So - is BIGGER better?? Do you worry about your kid's expectations? Does a TV's size mirror your husband/partner's penis size?
I agree with you. My oldest is only 6 yet I think she acts too privileged sometimes. I have started saying no a lot more. Plus I am of the camp that less tv and media exposure is better for kids.
ReplyDeleteDitto....I'm almost ashamed to say that until very recently, Chloe (3.5) had never seen ABC channels! But she will now sit up in my bed and watch it and loves it! So that's what's going on up in the new playroom!
DeleteHaha, funny! Everyone else had a flat screen fancy TV before us - I mean our old one worked ok, what happened to the days when you kept things till they broke instead of chucking them out on the front lawn to go into landfill just because you want the newest fancy thing on the market. When we did get one we got a good one (a smart tv with amazing picture quality that even tradesmen walking through my house have commented on) BUT we went for quality over quantity. It is big enough for us (about 40 inch I think) but smaller than pretty much everyone else I know. I totally get where you are coming from. I don't know about you, but growing up I didn't even have a playroom/rumpus/second living area with a "kids" TV. Kids these days don't know how good they have it and it's up to us to keep their feet on the ground...
ReplyDeleteIt's only now, in retrospect, that I can appreciate fully what my siblings and I had growing up. We did have a playroom with a tv, but were lucky to have parents who built our houses, so planned it that way!
DeleteI can still remember when we got our first colour TV. And having to fiddle around with the aerial so there'd be more picture and less snow. Yep, kids don't know when they've got it good these days.
ReplyDeleteOhhhhh, that damn snow!!! You'd have to sit a few inches away from the screen to decipher what on earth you were watching! lol
DeleteI completely agree with you! We were one of the last to get a flat screen, and only got it because it was 50% off as an end of model clearance, and it was a 40th birthday present for my husband who'd been gagging for one for ages to watch his nature documentaries on. But yes, I think some people get big for the sake of getting big, when a smaller one would be better depending on the size of the room and might actually be a better viewing experience.
ReplyDelete